Heritage Designation and Register

Heritage designation is a legal process under the Ontario Heritage Act that recognizes a property’s cultural value and historical significance. Heritage properties add value, character, and identity to Puslinch.

Heritage property designation serves to:

1. Recognize the importance of properties with cultural heritage value or interest;
2. Identify and protect properties with cultural heritage value or interest;
3. Encourage good stewardship and conservation; and,
4. Promote knowledge and understanding about properties and their impact on the community.

There are five key steps to designating an individual property under Ontario Heritage Act. These include:

1. Identifying the property as a candidate for designation;
2. Researching and evaluating the property;
3. Serving Notice of Intention to Designate, with an opportunity for objection;
4. Passing and registering the designation bylaw;
5. Listing the property on the municipal register.

Ownership of the property does not change once it is designated, nor does designation allow the public or Township staff access to the designated property without permission from the owner. Designation does not change the zoning of a property or the consent to sever.

Designation does not obligate the property owner to do any additional maintenance outside of ordinary property standards by-law. Application for appropriate permits is required for alteration, demolition, or removal of heritage features. The Township of Puslinch has a Heritage Permit Guide available for further information.

The guide explains everything an applicant needs to know about applying for heritage permits within the Township of Puslinch; including what information is needed for each type of permit and their application processes.

Who is this guide for?

Property owners of designated properties within the Township of Puslinch that want to alter their historically designated property, (Ex. new construction, renovation, alteration, heavy landscaping, etc.)

Heritage Permit Application Forms

Before applying for a Heritage Permit, please read the Heritage Permit Application Guide to know which application type is right for you.

• Heritage Permit Waiver Application Form
• Heritage Alteration Permit Application Form
• Heritage Demolition or Removal Permit Application Form

If you have a designated property and are looking for qualified and certified contractors to help do work on your heritage home, your first point of contact is the Ontario Association of Heritage Professionals (OAHP).

The OAHP is a member organization that is dedicated to identification, conservation, preservation, interpretation, and sustainable use of cultural and natural heritage. The OAHP has over 500 professionals working in all fields, including architecture, engineering, the trades, education, policy makers, and serve both the public and private sectors.

MYTH: Designated properties are more expensive to maintain.
TRUTH: Neglect is expensive – not old buildings. Heritage conservation focuses on minimal intervention and designation will not require restoration of features that have been modified over time.

MYTH: Designated properties have more expensive home insurance.
TRUTH: Insurance premiums should not go up because of a heritage designation. Insurance companies can increase premiums on older buildings for a variety of reasons such as outdated wiring, old heating system, etc. For more information, visit the Heritage Properties and Insurance page.

MYTH: Designation means I will have to restore my property.
TRUTH: Designation does not require an owner to restore the property. Maintain the property as any prudent owner would. Designation focuses on the “as is” heritage value.

MYTH: Designated properties cannot be changed.
TRUTH: Approximately 97% of all heritage permits were either approved or approved with conditions since 2010. Designation is about “change management” – ‘HOW’ can development occur rather than ‘IF’.

MYTH: Designation adds too much “red tape”.
TRUTH: The majority of permits are approved within 15-30 days. Many municipalities have passed bylaws delegating heritage alteration approvals to staff. Ontario Heritage Act stipulates no more than a 90-day turn around on heritage approvals; extensions are possible if the owner agrees.

MYTH: Heritage designation reduced property value.
TRUTH: The Heritage Resources Centre (UW) studied 3000 heritage designated properties in 24 communications across Ontario (in 2000). A summary of the key findings:

• Designated properties tend to sell on par or better than non-designated properties (74%)
• They tend to resist downturns in the real estate market more than non-designated (79% performed on par or better).
• Appears the market is ‘rewarding’ owners of heritage designated properties with stable property value.

Adding your property to the Heritage Register implies you are interested in having your property designated. When a property is added to the Municipal Register after January 1, 2023, Council must, within two years of the listing date either issue a notice of intention to designate the property, or remove the property from the register.

If you would like to add your property to the Heritage Register and begin the designation process, please click on the button below to have it considered for addition.

Under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.O. 1990 a property may be designated if it meets two or more criteria defined by the Province in Ontario Regulation 9/06, which determines whether the property is of cultural heritage value or interest.

The criteria are:

1. The property has design value or physical value because it is a rare, unique, representative or early example of a style, type, expression, material or construction method.
2. The property has design value or physical value because it displays a high degree of craftsmanship or artistic merit.
3. The property has design value or physical value because it demonstrates a high degree of technical or scientific achievement.
4. The property has historical value or associative value because it has direct associations with a theme, event, belief, person, activity, organization or institution that is significant to a community.
5. The property has historical value or associative value because it yields, or has the potential to yield, information that contributes to an understanding of a community or culture.
6. The property has historical value or associative value because it demonstrates or reflects the work or ideas of an architect, artist, builder, designer or theorist who is significant to a community.
7. The property has contextual value because it is important in defining, maintaining or supporting the character of an area.
8. The property has contextual value because it is physically, functionally, visually or historically linked to its surroundings.
9. The property has contextual value because it is a landmark. O. Reg. 569/22, s. 1.

Due to recent legislative changes made by the province, all 109 properties will be de-listed from the Municipal Heritage Register as of January 1st, 2027 if they are not designated by by-law by Township Council. If they are de-listed they cannot be re-added to the registry until January 1st, 2032.

It can be re-added to the Municipal Heritage Register with listed status for a period of two years. During that two year period it will have interim protection from demolition in which sixty (60) days notice must be provided to Council of any intention to demolish or remove a building or structure. When a property is listed on the Municipal Heritage Register, Council may consider designation.

If your property is included on the Township of Puslinch’s Heritage Register you may request to have it featured on the Township’s Digital Archive and/or the Heritage Website Mapping. Please click the button below to complete the Mapping consent form.